To all the Mommas in my Life

Thinking about Mothers Day coming up tomorrow always makes me of course think of my Mom and how blessed  I am.  Now at this season in my life, I of course think of the blessing that is of being a Mom. I have been blessed times three. The other day I was having a conversation with a friend.  She mentioned a women who was a mother figure in her life.  This got me thinking of all the "mommas" in my own life.  First, I was blessed to have been born into a large extended family. I have numerous Aunts that have always been momma figures to me.  Two in particular are my Aunt Louise, my moms older sisters and my Aunt Helen, one of my moms sister in laws.  I spent countless hours and sometimes days at both of their houses growing up.  My Aunt Louise is one of those people who could make a perfect stranger welcome in her home like they had been there a hundred times before.  She is a wonderful cook. She is also a great listener, a rare quality these days.  You can pop in during the day and she sits down after fixing you some ice tea and offering you food, which you better take by the way, and wants to know your news.  It doesn't matter if it was the good deal you got on corn at the market or you are announcing something life changing.  She is all ears.
My Aunt Helen is another one.  I spent a great deal of time at her house growing up as well.  Her daughter, my cousin is seven years older than me, so it was like have a big sister.  My Aunt Helen is also a great cook.and will always make you feel welcome.  When my husband and I bought our house, it happened to be right next door to my Aunt Helen, right next door to where I have so many good childhood memories.  When my first 2 were born, it was so nice knowing my Aunt was right next door if I needed anything.  She was my oldest sons first babysitter while I worked outside of the home.  It made leaving him a bit easier knowing he was in her care.  She has since moved to town and I miss having family so close.
My Granny who is now passed on, she was  one of the neatest people I have ever known.  I am so blessed to have had her in my life for 18 years.  I miss her still to this day. I have her eyes, I'm told.  Not a bad thing, a reminder of her every time I look in the mirror. I also have to pluck a single chin hair in the same place she had one,  too often, that, I could do without. She had spunk and didn't have a problem in the world with telling you what she thought. I might have some of that too. She was the mother of 10 children, all hers.  She sadly outlived 2 of them, one as a baby and one at the young age of 36.  She had lived through many obstacles in her life.  But you could not keep her down. She was born in 1908 and saw so much in her life.  I wish I could hear her tell and record the stories of her life again. She let me break all the rules including letting me drink coffee and take puffs of her cigarettes. She loved a good joke.  One of her favorites was to send you after something and switch your sweet milk with her butter milk and crack up watching you take a big drink and get a big surprise.  Not sure why, with as many times as she did that, I didn't think to check. Oh, how I miss her.
Another momma to me was my dear friends mom growing up.  Gloria M. My friend Jodi and I  seemed to always be at on anothers  house in elementary school. Her mom welcomed me in every time like I was her own. She was an art teacher and I found that so neat.  I went through a very awkward time starting around 5th grade but could be myself when at their home. She loved fresh flowers and said everyone should have fresh flowers in their house from time to time. I think of that as I cut some from my garden every now and then.
Of course I can't write about these women without talking about my momma. I am so blessed to be her daughter. She worked so hard keeping  our house a home when I was growing up. Our house was always spotless. Not a quality I have taken on, sadly.  I remember being sick and her coming up with ice cream in a little white bowl before bed and feeding me.  I remember sitting on the bathroom floor while she took a bath and we would talk.  Today, being a mom myself, I imagine she would have given anything for me to leave the bathroom so she could have had some peace and quiet.  But growing up I was pretty sure she wanted me there. I remember the countless hours she spent helping me and encouraging me to finish my homework.  School work was not my top priority  I remember buying her a mothers day present one year with my own money at a local drug store.  I bought her a bottle of perfume with flowers on the bottle and a blue lid.  I thought it must have been the nicest thing ever because she wouldn't wear it  because she was saving it for a very special occasion.  I found our later it was the smelliest thing ever. But the grace she showed me by not letting me know about it then.  My sister and I were always her top priority.  I am so blessed to still have her in my life today. I talk to her every morning on the phone, if only to quickly share what errands or chores we each  have that day.
All these women and so many more are so special to me.  They each have contributed something special and unique in my life. I truly would not be where I am today without each of them. I am blessed beyond measure.  My prayer is for a special blessing for each of these special ladies this mothers day and that I can be half the momma to my children as they were to me.